pan out

British  

verb

1. informal (intr, adverb) to work out; turn out; result

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pan out Idioms  

1. Turn out well, succeed, as in If I don't pan out as a musician, I can always go back to school. This expression alludes to washing gold from gravel in a pan. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pan out

Now the success of Muse is easing some concerns about Meta’s spending levels and helping convince investors that the company’s AI monetization strategies will pan out.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

Projections for the Paris Olympics didn’t pan out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

But television history is littered with fine ideas that don’t pan out in practice.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

Whether or not Murray or Tagovailoa pan out in their new homes, there’s next to no downside for Vikings or Falcons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Then she takes Grandpa Ed’s pan out of the oven, lifts the foil, and eats the roast chicken with rosemary potatoes as she stands against the counter.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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Related Words

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